Abstract
A strain of Bacillus thuringiensis that showed significantly high toxicity to Plutella xylostella and Spodoptera exigua was isolated from a Korean soil sample and characterized. The isolate, named B. thuringiensis K1, was determined to belong to ssp. kurstaki (H3a3b3c) type by an H antisera agglutination test and produced bipyramidal inclusions. Plasmid pattern of K1 was different from that of the reference strain, ssp. kurstaki HD-1, but the parasporal inclusion protein profile of K1 had two major bands that were similar in size to those of ssp. kurstaki HD-1. To verify the δ-endotoxin gene types of K1, PCR analysis with specific cry gene primers was performed to show that K1 contained a new cry gene in addition to cry1Aa, cry1Ab, cry1Ac, cry1E and cry2 genes. PCR-amplified region of the new cry gene, cryX, showed 79% similarity to cry1Fa1 gene (GenBank Accession No. M63897). In an insect toxicity assay, K1 had higher toxicity against Plutella xylostella and S. exigua than ssp. kurstaki HD-1.
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Received: 21 December 2001 / Accepted: 28 January 2002
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Li, M., Je, Y., Lee, I. et al. Isolation and Characterization of a Strain of Bacillus thuringiensis ssp. kurstaki Containing a New δ-Endotoxin Gene. Curr Microbiol 45, 299–302 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-002-3755-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-002-3755-0